Communication Basics

A critical part of the research process is reading and evaluating potential sources. Scholarly sources, in particular, can be challenging. The Read Scholarly Article in Communication handout illustrates the structure of these articles using an example article. The Analyze Scholarly Article in Communication worksheet helps when examining a potential scholarly article. 

Closely connected to careful reading of a source is the process of evaluating that source of information. There isn't a checklist that decides if a source of information is credible, trustworthy, reliable, and/or appropriate for the assignment. Start by asking questions to determine if a source will fit your needs: 

• How will you use this source in your research assignment?
• What value does this source add to your research assignment?
• Does the information relate to your research topic and/or answer some aspect of your research question?

The Evaluating Sources video (3:16 minutes) shares an introduction to evaluating information to help determine a source's credibility.